A Present For Sesshoumaru
by scorpion's lady
Summary: The is a KagSess story. It's a Christmas themed story althought Xmas is over. Basically, Sess hires Kag to make a present for Rin and Rin wants Kagome to help her find the perfect gift for Sess. Maybe everyone will get waht they want for the season of hop
1. Ch 1: Nurse Kagome

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, so back off lawyer scum. ;) This is my second fanfic. Read and review please. I really want to hear how I can make it better!! Hope y'all like it. I know this first chapter is kinda short, but don't worry, they get longer!

"Here ya go, Rin." The young woman said, offering the quiet little girl a bright red lollipop. The small girl took the gift, but said nothing. Kagome saw her stiffen as the older girl joined Rin on the hospital bed. "It's okay, Rin. Your guardian will be here soon. His office just called and said that he'd left." The young woman told her small companion, concern evident in her voice. Sympathy filled her blue-gray eyes as she stared at the little brown-haired girl in front of her. _Oh Rin, I just want to hug you_, she thought.

"Hey Kagome!" came a new, cheerful voice from the door. The older girl turned to face the owner of the voice.

"Hiya Sango. Are you off?" Kagome asked her friend, watching the rigid form of the little girl the entire time.

"Yeah, I just got off. Ready to go?" Sango replied, her dark brown ponytail swinging as she walked. She stopped when Kagome waved her off. Sango gave her dark-haired friend as puzzled glance, but stopped short of the hospital bed.

The little girl had stiffened when Kagome raised her hand to ward off Sango, so Kagome quickly dropped it back into her lap, where Rin could see both her hands. "I'm gonna stay here until Rin's guardian picks her up. Go on and go home. I'll take the bus." Kagome looked at her best friend and shook her head when Sango's mouth opened to argue. She gave Sango a quick smile as she left and then turned to face Rin.

"Do you like to draw, Rin?" Kagome asked softly. As she talked, she slowly reached down into the black bag that lay at her feet. She pulled out a plain, worn sketchbook and a pencil. "I love to draw. Let me show you one of my favorite things to draw."

Kagome put the book in her lap and began to sketch quickly. First she drew large, floppy ears and then a cute bunny face. As she drew, she glanced at Rin and was very happy to see the little girl staring intently at the picture. Kagome then drew a simple dress with an apron over it and little paws for feet and hands. She stuck the pencil behind her ear and held up the picture for Rin to see.

"Rin, this is Bella. She is a very special bunny. She has lots of friends and they have tea parties and all sorts of grand adventures. Would you like to meet the rest of her friends?" Kagome asked gently, praying that the little girl would respond. Kagome smiled brilliantly at the little girl's slow nod. She had just grabbed her pencil and put it to paper when her miko senses went haywire. _A very strong youkai is near. I have to keep Rin safe_.

"Rin." A cold voice came from the door of the room. Like a shot, the girl was off the bed and running towards the owner of the voice. The little girl attached herself to the leg of the very tall man in the doorway.

Kagome whirled around and stared in shock at the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Silky, silver hair fell to his knees and was tied back by a simple black thong. Silver bangs framed his flawless face. Kagome found herself caught by his cold, golden eyes.

"Hi! I'm Kagome. I'm the nurse taking care of Rin. I take it you're her guardian." Kagome said cheerfully. When her only response was an indifferent gaze form the man, her cheery smile faltered. _Not exactly Mr. Friendly is he?_

Kagome got off the bed and began walking over to him. As she approached the quiet man, her senses began going berserk. _It's him! He's the youkai and a _very_ strong one at that,_ she told herself. She looked down at Rin, who was clinging to the man's leg. _He can't be that bad if Rin is that attached to him. _As the man turned to leave, Kagome knelt down in front of Rin. The little girl moved behind the man's leg and Kagome could've sworn she heard a growl come from somewhere above her. Kagome ignored it and focused on the little girl instead. She signed the top right corner of the picture she had drawn and held it out the small girl. "Here, Rin. You can keep this. Maybe I'll get to show you her friends someday." Kagome said cheerfully. Rin stared at the older girl and slowly moved out from behind her guardian's leg. She stepped closer and suddenly threw her arms around Kagome's neck. Kagome, coming out of shock a second later, hugged the little girl tightly, placing a light kiss on her temple.

"Thank you, Kagome." Came the soft whisper in Kagome's ear. The older girl's eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she lifted her head up to gaze at the girl' guardian. Her sparkly gaze collided with cool, golden eyes. Suddenly, the little girl was gone, holding tightly to the hand of her tall guardian and clutching the picture to her chest.


	2. Ch 2: Incident in the Alley

Disclaimer: I said it once, but I have to say it again. I wished I owned Inuyasha, but I don't.

Here's the second installment of "Present for Sesshoumaru".

Kagome smiled happily as she walked out of the hospital and headed for the bus stop. She pulled her jacket tighter around her body as the chilly November air began seeping through any opening in her jacket. Despite the cold, Kagome had a slight bounce in her step. The little girl's actions had brightened Kagome's day. The reminder of that simple hug made the cold November day bearable. _Even though I have to ride in the stuffy, overcrowded bus instead of in Sango's comfortable car,_ she thought. She sighed as she watched the cars drive by. Suddenly her miko senses flared. _What now?!_ She concentrated and tried to figure out the direction the demon youki was coming from. Even though the youki was not very strong, she knew that even minor demons could be dangerous, even to trained mikos. Kagome pinpointed the youki to somewhere in the vicinity of her bus stop.

Movement across the road caught her eye. Kagome saw someone digging through the trash that was piled around the dumpster at the start of a dark alley. Her gaze saddened as she watched the small figure digging through the trash. As if sensing a watchful gaze, the figure suddenly froze. The small figure faced Kagome, staring for a few seconds before scampering off down the dark alley. Kagome fought the urge to run after the person. There was something about the unknown person that called out to her. Down the road Kagome saw the lumbering outline of her bus.

Any thoughts of going home to warmth and a cup of hot tea were blown away when she heard a scream come from the direction of the alley the figure had darted down. Any sense of self-preservation fled as Kagome sprinted across the street and towards the ominous alley. _This is definitely _**not**_ one of the smarter things I've done,_ she thought as she slowed to a quick but quiet walk. Thinking quickly, she reached into her pocket and got her cell phone ready, just in case she had to call for help. Somewhere ahead of her, a scream echoed out again, calling for help. Her miko senses were flaring crazily, warning her of the presence of demons. _Great, if my senses are correct, I'm heading into a gang of demons, all moderately strong. Of all the times to be without my bow and arrows,_ she berated herself. But then she realized that she probably couldn't have the weapons in the hospital anyway. The sounds of a scuffle became louder and Kagome figured she should hide her aura. She ducked behind a dumpster when she came upon the source of the screams. The figure she had seen earlier was in a fight with a gang of others.

The small figure was on the ground, surrounded by a gang of rough looking guys. The leader was handsome with a black braid hanging down his back. He was about to deliver a hard kick to the figure on the ground when the loud wail of a siren split the air. The guys looked down the alley and saw the telltale flash of lights, heralding the presence of the police. "Let's go!" she leader shouted, delivering a quick kick to the still figure on the ground. "That'll teach you for trying to pickpocket me." He took off further down the alley after his friends.

Kagome jumped up from her hiding spot and ran towards the small figure on the ground. _It's a youkai!_ Kagome felt tears as she approached the small figure, thinking that not even a youkai could withstand such a violent beating. At the sound of a ragged breath, relief burst through her heart. She knelt closer and gently picked up the small youkai. She felt the figure stiffen and begin to weakly struggle. "Shh…It's okay. My name is Kagome and I'm a nurse from Tokyo General. I'm here to help you." She felt the stickiness of blood seeping into her clothing and her worry escalated. She sent small tendrils of her healing powers into the small body, hoping to give the demon in her arms a chance. She held as tightly as she could to the small form and ran as fast as she could towards the hospital.

She burst through the main doors and headed straight for the nurses desk. "Nurse Hasegawa!" she shouted. "Nurse Hasegawa! This person needs help immediately!" Her panicked words brought an army of nurses towards her, led by an older, motherly looking one. One of the nurses ran to bring a bed to place the patient on. When she reappered , she motioned for Kagome to put her small bundle on it. Kagome leaned down and gently placed her precious bundle on the bed and began to remove her arms from around it. She yelped when a small hand reached out and grabbed a lock of her raven-black hair. _It's a child!_

Kagome reached down and carefully removed the ratty hood of the coat and saw a young boy of kitsune heritage. His eyes were almost swollen shut and his nose and lips were bleeding. Kagome felt a tug on her heart as she stared at the broken body before her. She gently disentangled the small hand from her hair and clasped it within her own. "Shh…It's okay. I'm right here." She murmured gently. She kept up her soft whispering as the nurses wheeled the bed to an examining room and began a chart on the small kitsune. Kagome was so absorbed in comforting the boy that she didn't notice when someone came to stand next to her.

"Kagome, what happened?" a soft voice asked.

Kagome looked at the owner of the voice with tears glazing her vision. She stared into the warm eyes of her older cousin. "Kikyo. Are you working today?" She noticed the strain lines around her reserved cousin's eyes and mouth. _She works too hard sometimes, _she thought. Kagome reeled in her wandering mind and answered the older woman's question.

Kikyo nodded as Kagome told her what had happened to the young boy on the bed, her eyes taking in the damage to the boy's young body. "Nurse Hasegawa, where's his chart? I'll take care of him." When she was handed the chart, she quickly began flipping through the quickly filled out pages. "We need to move him to the OR." She let Kagome stay with the boy until they reached the OR. She turned to her younger cousin and her cool gaze softened when she noticed how hard Kagome was taking this incident. _She always did have a soft heart._ "Kagome, you have to wait outside." When her cousin opened her mouth to protest she held up one slim, pale hand, her wedding band gleaming under the bright hospital lights. "I know you are a nurse, but you are not trained to work in the OR. You'll only be in my way. I'll come and talk to you and soon as I can."

Kagome nodded and turned once more to the boy. She bent close to his ear and whispered softly, "I have to leave now, but I'll be right outside. This is Dr. Takahashi. She'll take great care of you." She softly kissed his forehead and placed his small hand on the bed at his side. "Thanks, Kikyo." She whispered as she passed her silent cousin.

Kagome plopped herself down on a chair in the waiting room and settle din for her wait. _Watch over him please, Kami-sama,_ she prayed silently.

"Oi, Kagome!" a loud voice shouted, shaking her from her thoughts.

Kagome looked up to see her cousin's silver-haired husband, Inuyasha. Kikyo and Inuyasha had been high school sweethearts, much to the surprise of their families. No one had imagined that the quiet, reserved, and studious Kikyo would date a loudmouthed, arrogant, and temperamental person like Inuyasha Takahashi. Well, no one but Kagome that is. She had seen the way they looked at each other and she knew that her cousin was head over heels in love with the bad tempered hanyou. Kagome noticed that Kikyo was a little more carefree when she was around Inuyasha, a fact that Kagome was grateful for. Kikyo had also managed to tame Inuyasha, although he would never admit it. It was obvious that the inu hanyou loved her cousin though. He treated her like a queen and would flay anyone who so much as looked at her funny. She smiled widely at her cousin-in-law.

"What are you smiling at, wench?" Inuyasha asked, irritated that she had been ignoring him.

She sighed, this always happened. "My name is Kagome, not wench, Inubaka." She retorted. "What did you want?"

"I was looking for Kikyo. I'm supposed to pick her up because we are going to dinner." He answered, his head turning this way and that, searching for his wife. His cute little white ears also swiveled to and fro, searching for any sign of his beloved wife.

"Oh! I am so sorry. I brought a little boy in and Kikyo decided to look at him. I'm so sorry; I didn't know she had plans." Kagome felt horrible. She jumped when she felt Inuyasha's rough hand pat hers.

"It's okay, she's too kindhearted. She's overworking herself." His rough voice softened as he talked about his beloved wife.

"She always overworks herself. But now is not the time for her to be doing so. You need to keep her from overdoing it these next few months." Kagome said absently.

Inuyasha looked at her, startled. "You know?' he asked suspiciously.

"Yeah. I sensed it." She smiled at him. "Congratulations."

"Keh." He retorted, taking a seat next to her and crossing his arms across his chest.

She smiled at her rude cousin-in-law. "Do you know if it's a boy or girl, yet?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "It's too early. Give it another couple weeks. Kikyo doesn't want to know though; she doesn't think it's natural." He shook his head. "Women."

They sat and talked quietly until the tired figure of Kikyo approached them. Inuyasha quickly stood up and swept his wife into his arms. Kagome stood as well and looked towards the room her cousin had just vacated.

"It's a good thing you gave him some of your energy, Kagome. I don't know if he would have made it otherwise, even with his youkai healing abilities." Kikyo said tiredly. "He is stable, but still unconscious. He is not in critical condition so he is being moved to a private room in the pediatric ward. You are free to see him now." She sighed as she turned into her husband's embrace. As they began to walk away she paused and looked at her cousin again. "Get some sleep, cousin. He will be fine."

Kagome nodded and waved as Kikyo and Inuyasha walked away, their heads bowed together. Kagome began walking towards the elevator, but changed course and headed for the small gift shop. She searched around for the cutest, softest animal she could find and laughed when it turned out to be a white dog. "Inuyasha would kill me if he saw this." She laughed. She bought the dog and once more headed towards the elevator. She hummed softly as she walked through the quiet pediatric ward. It was now nine o'clock in the evening. "I better call my mom and Sango, or they'll have the entire Tokyo police department looking for me." After checking on what room the young boy was in, she pulled out her cell phone. She dialed her home and pulled the phone away from her ear when her mother started yelling at her. "I'm sorry, mom. Something happened as I was waiting for the bus. I'm staying at the hospital tonight." Pause. "No, I'm fine. I brought in a little boy. He has no one here, so I am staying." She was quiet while her mom asked her what happened. "Mom, I have to go. I'll explain everything tomorrow. Will you call Sango's and let her know I'm alive. Thanks mom. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you." Pause. "Bye." Kagome press the end button and shoved the phone back in her pocket. She quietly opened the door and walked to the bed.

"Hey, sweetie. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I brought you something." Kagome spoke quietly to the kitsune. She placed the fluffy dog by his side and went to find a chair to place next to the bed. When she returned, she saw that the boy had grasped the dog and was holding onto it for dear life. She sat down in the chair and reached out to take one of the small hands in her own. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Sweet dreams, sweetie." She sat back and settled in for an uncomfortable night


	3. Ch 3: Kagome's Idea

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it.

Author's note: Yes, this is Sess/Kag. I apologize for any OOC, I just write it as I see it in my head. I will try to update as often as possible, but don't expect much during the school week. Enjoy!

P.S. Thanks are at the bottom. If I missed you, it's because I had posted the chapter before checking for more reviews. Sorry, sorry.

Sesshoumaru sat in his office, staring out the large window overlooking the busy city. He stifled a sigh as his mind drifted back to his current problem. The tall youkai realized Christmas was rapidly approaching and he had yet to get a gift for his young ward. Until he had become the girl's guardian he had worked straight through the holiday, considering it only another work day. He would be more than happy to continue on thinking this way, but his ward had other ideas. She had been chattering endlessly about decorations and trees and presents. Rin wanted to see the holiday festivals and wished for snow.

Sesshoumaru had no idea what to get for the young human girl; he had no idea where to even begin. The whole problem reeked of uncertainty and Sesshoumaru hated uncertainty. He stifled another uncharacteristic sigh and glanced up as the door to his office opened.

The small, chocolate haired girl with her bright pink cast seemed very out of place in the silver and black furnished office. She marched straight up to his desk and walked around the side so she was standing next to him. He looked at her and quirked a silver brow, silently asking her what she wanted.

Rin smiled brightly at her stoic guardian. "Sesshoumaru-sama, can we go to the Festival of Lights tonight? Please? Ayame-san was telling Rin about the festival and Rin wants to go." She looked up at the quiet dog demon.

Sesshoumaru struggled to resist the hope in her chocolate brown eyes. _I'm getting soft_. He mentally sighed and gave the young girl the barest hint of a nod. He suppressed a wince when the young girl squealed, throwing her arms around his middle.

"Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama!" She left his side and began dancing around. "Sesshoumaru-sama and Rin are going to the Festival of Lights!"

"Rin." Came the cool voice of her guardian. Rin stopped dancing around and looked at her guardian. With a tilt of his head, Rin immediately moved to the couch on the far side of the room and sat down. She flashed a brilliant smile at the silver inu youkai and began talking quietly to herself.

Sesshoumaru noticed she wasn't talking to _herself_, she was talking to a piece of paper she had placed on the couch when she walked in. With his youkai hearing he picked up her conversation with the piece of paper. He realized Rin was talking to the picture that girl from the hospital had given her. Sudden inspiration struck Sesshoumaru. _I will have the girl make several drawings for Rin._ With a gift for his ward in mind, Sesshoumaru was able to concentrate on his business reports again.

Bright sunlight shone down through the window and into the face of the raven haired girl slumped over a hospital bed. The bright light caused the girl to open her eyes and squint against the glare of the morning light.

"Ugh. Note to self: never sleep slumped over again." She said wearily, rubbing her eyes with her left hand. She relinquished her hold on the small hand she was holding to sit up and stretch. She got up and walked around the room and quickly returned to the chair she had been occupying.

Kagome had sat by the bed of the small kitsune child all night. Kikyo had checked on him an hour ago and said that he would be fine physically. The child had not woken at all since being brought in yesterday, so there was no telling what kind of mental state he was in. Kagome had not left the hospital since coming in to work her shift yesterday morning. _I need a shower_, she thought.

She looked down into the small face and felt tears sting her eyes. She held one of his small hands in her right hand and used her left hand to gently smooth the orange hair from his forehead. As she ran her hands though his hair, she hummed softly. Kagome started out with a lullaby her mother used to sing when Kagome was little, then moved onto any song that popped into her head. She was part way through "Silent Night" when she saw the tiny child move. His small hand moved within her grip and his head began to toss on the pillow.

"Shh...You're okay." She whispered to him softly. The small head turned towards the sound of her voice and Kagome could see his small nose working furiously. She gasped when his eyes snapped open, revealing startling emerald green eyes. She smiled warmly at him, hoping to erase his frightened stare.

"I'm Kagome. I brought you in yesterday. How are you feeling?" she asked slowly.

He glanced wildly around the room. "Where are Hiten and Manten? They aren't waiting for me outside are they?" he asked, terror in his voice. He moved closer to Kagome, clutching the hand that held his with his free hand.

"I don't know who Hiten or Manten are, but I can tell you that they aren't here. You're-" he let out a terrified squeak when a large figure suddenly filled the doorway. Kagome whirled around, ready to face the youkai that had her senses going crazy. Her mouth dropped open in shock when she realized that it was Rin's guardian.

She felt the shivering form of the kitsune boy pressed into her back. She sent a glare towards the man in the doorway and turned to the small boy. "Sweetie, it's ok. This man won't hurt you." She sent another glare towards the silent man and gave the shivering form a hug. "I'll take him outside and you can stay here. I'll be right back, okay?" she asked softly, setting the terrified kitsune back on the bed and covering him up with the covers. She placed a motherly kiss on his forehead and turned to the tall youkai.

"What can I do for you Mr.-" she paused; she had no idea what his name was. _He looks kinda like Inuyasha, except way better looking_. Kagome mentally slapped herself. "Is Rin okay? Did something happen to her cast?" Kagome asked quickly.

Sesshoumaru regarded the girl in front of him coldly. "You are the one who took care of my ward?" At the girl's nod, he continued. "I have a job for you."

"Huh? A job? Doing what?" Kagome asked, confusion in her blue-gray eyes.

"You will draw several pictures for my ward. I will pay you for them."

_Why does he want to give her sketches?_ she thought. _Why not give her something better?_ Suddenly Kagome was struck with inspiration. In her excitement, she reached out and grabbed Sesshoumaru's arm. "I've got a great idea! Why give her just a few sketches when you could give her an entire book, written just for her? I can write the story and then illustrate it." Kagome dazed off, excited that one of her secret dreams might come true.

Sesshoumaru was standing in silent shock. No one touched him. He would not allow it. Rin was an exception, though he couldn't figure out why. Her hand was warm on his arm and the scent of jasmine drifted over him. For some strange reason it was a comforting smell. In the few seconds she had had her hand on his arm, he had taken several deeper breaths.

When he caught himself doing this, he raised one clawed hand to brush her hand away. He was unprepared for what happened the instant his skin came into contact with hers. In that instant, time seemed to freeze. He heard a faint voice coming from somewhere beyond the girl in front of him. He strained his ears, trying to pinpoint the sound. It came again. It sounded like a child crying out for its parents. He heard the deeper murmur of a familiar male voice before it faded away. With the fading of the strange voice, time seemed to move again. He glanced at the girl in front of him to see if she had been affected as well.

Her blue-gray eyes were glazed over and she was staring at his chest. In an instant the look was gone and she raised her head, staring into his golden eyes.

Sesshoumaru had the strange sensation of falling as he stared into her eyes. He took control of himself and his emotionless mask fell back into place. He turned his head from her, looking beyond her to the room they were outside of. His sharp hearing picked up the sound of whimpering coming from inside.

"Your patient is crying." He informed her before stepping away. He pulled out a white card and handed it to her, taking care to avoid touching her. "Check in with me every week. I want to know of your progress." He turned and strode away, never looking back.

"Weird." She whispered. Kagome shook herself and went to comfort the little kitsune. She crossed the room to the bed where young demon was curled up into a ball, whimpering and shaking.

"Shh…I'm back. Sorry for being gone so long." She sat on the bed and reached out a hand to rub the boy's back. She was unprepared for the force of the small demon hurling himself at her. She almost fell off the bed, but managed to catch herself in time.

Kagome moved so she was lying in the bed with the kitsune on her stomach. She raised the back of the bed so she was sitting up more. She cradled the shaking form closer and ran her fingers through his orange hair.

The older girl continued her finger-combing, occasionally humming until she felt the figure stop shaking and drift off to sleep. Kagome moved him so his head rested on her shoulder and slightly beneath her chin. She wrapped her arms around him and joined him in sleep. _I still don't know his name…_

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	4. Ch 4: Welcome to the Family

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it.

Author's Note: I'm glad y'all like it! Here's the latest addition to the story. I'm trying to make it seem natural, so there might not be lots of fluff yet. Don't worry. I'm working on getting more interaction between Sess and Kag. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews!

Also, I've decided not to have a big fight with Naraku. This story will be all about Sess/Kag because that's enough of a prob without throwing in Mr. Evil. Enjoy!

Kagome was dreaming of golden eyes and a voice like velvet. The voice was whispering to her, but it was so low she couldn't make out the words.

"Wake up, Kagome." the velvet voice said. "Wake up, please." the voice changed from velvet to child-like. This new voice was turning frantic.

Kagome's eyes snapped open and found herself face to face with the small kitsune. He was hopping from foot to foot.

"Can you take me to the bathroom" he asked, ducking his head down in embarrassment. He hopped off her stomach and sat down on the bed, squirming.

Kagome got up and lifted him into her arms. She walked over to the bathroom and flicked on the lights. She stepped in front of the door leading to the adjoining room and turned around, facing the door. When the boy was done, she lifted him to the sink to wash his hands. Then she cradled him on her hip and carried him back to the bed, noticing a note and bag on the dresser. She grabbed the note with her free hand and sat back on the bed. She resumed her earlier position and laughed when the kitsune curled up on her stomach.

Kagome held the note with one hand while the other finger-combed his hair. _Mom was here, _she thought. She put down the note and saw the boy looking at her.

"What's your name, sweetie? I've been taking care of you for two days and I still don't know what it is." she asked him quietly.

"Shippou. What were you reading" he asked, curious.

"A note from my mom." Kagome stopped when she saw the tears forming in Shippou's eyes. "What's wrong, Shippou"

"My momma's gone. Her and daddy died a few months ago." He told her sadly.

Kagome hugged him closer. "Do you have any relatives? Someone who can take care of you" at his slow nod, she asked"How old are you sweetie"

"Six. We had just had my 6th birthday party." Shippou told her, his voice very sad. Shippou uncurled himself and put his head under her chin. "I don't wanna be an orphan. Are they gonna send me to a home" he started to cry softly.

Kagome looked into his teary green eyes. "I don't know, honey. But I'll find out." She let the young kitsune cry himself to sleep again, before getting up and placing him back on the bed. He whimpered in his sleep. "I'll be right back."

Kagome headed to the dresser and picked up the bag her mom had left her. "Thanks, mom. You're the best" she cheered silently. She hurried into the bathroom and showered with the stuff her mom had left for her.

Kagome felt much better as she walked towards the main nurses' desk. Her smile widened when se saw Nurse Hasegawa.

"Good afternoon, Nurse Hasegawa." she said brightly.

"Kaede, child. How many times do I have to tell ye" the elderly lady said mock-sternly. The happy young woman before her laughed softly. _She is such a happy person, such a pure soul. _

"Sorry, Kaede. Has the child care agency come by for my little friend"

Kaede looked sad as she nodded. "They were here earlier. They want to take him to an orphanage, Kagome. No parents or guardians have claimed him."

"He doesn't have any." Kagome informed the older lady sadly. "I don't want him to go to one of those places, Kaede. I couldn't stand it." Her smile had disappeared and she felt like crying. "I got so attached to him in just two days. I just discovered his name is Shippou. He has beautiful bright green eyes and he's a very curious kitsune." She knew that being sent to an orphanage would extinguish his bright soul. "But what can I do"

"I know not, child. But ye will think of something." Kaede tried comforting the young woman in front of her.

Kagome picked her head up off the desk and wiped away her tears. "I better get back to him. He is still scared of being alone for long amounts of time." Kagome tossed a sad smile at the elderly nurse and headed towards the elevator. Her thoughts were filled with Shippou and what she could do to help him. She wiped away all traces of her tears as she opened the door to Shippou's room. She heard him whimpering and she rushed over to his bed.

"Shippou." she whispered quietly. He stopped and his tiny hand crept out, searching for something. Kagome grabbed his hand with hers. She gently scooped him up and lay on the bed, placing him back on her stomach. Shippou wrapped his arms around her waist and fell asleep again.

"Momma..." he said quietly, still asleep.

Kagome started. For the space of a second, time stopped again. _Could I do it? _She glanced down at the little boy in her arms and had no doubt. Her soul called out for her to do something about his sad life. _First I have to talk to my mom._ She checked her watch. "One o'clock. Mom will still be at work for a few more hours." Kagome looked at the door to Shippou's room. "I wonder when Kikyo will be back" She had just opened her mouth when the door to the room opened. Kikyo walked in, looking unhappy.

"Kagome, the Shikon Childcare Foundation is here." Kikyo told her quietly.

"What! I was just downstairs and I didn't see them. Are they here to take him away? Is there anything you can do" Kagome asked, fear creeping into her voice. She looked at the young boy, sadness in her eyes as he began to wake up.

"I'm sorry, Kagome. There is nothing I can do." Kikyo looked at her distraught cousin and smiled grimly. She was about to try and offer some comfort when the door to the room opened further.

Kagome watched apprehensively as two women walked in. One was tall and had red eyes and seemed to be the one in charge. The other was more startling in appearance. She had white hair and very pale skin. Kagome could tell both were demons.

The one with red eyes saw Shippou on Kagome's stomach and stepped closer to the bed. "My name is Kagura Onigumo. This is my associate, Kanna. We are here to pick up the child and take him to the Shikon Children's Home."

"Does he have to go now? He is still recovering. Please, is there anything I can do?" Kagome pleaded. She could not stand to see Shippou go to some orphanage.

Kagura smiled sadly and shook her head. "I'm sorry. The most I can do is give him a few more days, but only until he's recovered enough to be moved to the Home." She turned to her associate, who had tugged on her sleeve. Kagura bent down as the younger woman whispered in her ear. Kagura looked at Kagome as the pale girl spoke into her ear. "My associate has just given me a suggestion. There is one thing that can be done, but it might not be easy."

Kagome seized the ray of hope. "What can we do?"

"One of you can adopt him. Being a demon, even though he's a child, will lower his chances of being adopted. Demons are tolerated, but not thoroughly accepted. Most humans have no idea that demons even exist." Kagura informed them.

"I'll adopt him." Kagome said quietly, before her cousin could even say anything. "I'd already decided that's what I wanted to do, if Shippou was okay with the idea." She looked down at the kit and gently shook him. "Wake up honey." She said.

Shippou sat up and rubbed his eyes. He jumped when he saw two unfamiliar people. Judging by the way they were dressed in suits, he knew they were here for him. He felt tears prick his eyes as he subconsciously hugged the girl whose lap he was in.

"Shippou?" came Kagome's soft voice. She smiled when she saw the watery emerald green eyes.

"They're here for me, aren't they?" he asked Kagome, softly. She nodded. She ran her fingers through his hair and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"But you have a choice. You can go with them and live with others your age or you can come live with me." She sat back and almost laughed at his puzzled expression. "What?"

"I want to adopt you, Shippou. Would you like that?" She smiled before continuing. "I'm single, I have a cat and a small apartment to myself. My mom would love to have you. I have a younger brother who will corrupt you with video games and too much TV." Shippou's eyes got bigger and bigger. "So, what do you say?"

"Yes!" he shouted in joy. He stood up and threw his arms around Kagome's neck.

She hugged the little boy closer and smiled tearfully at the other occupants in the room. Kikyo gave her a small smile, similar to the one Kagura was giving her. Kanna was stoic, showing nothing on her pale face. _She reminds me of someone else…._ Kagome thought as the image of golden eyes and silver hair flitted through her mind.

"One problem down, a million to go." Kagura said, shaking her head. "Okay, Kanna and I will go back to the office and start filling out the paper work. It may take a few days or a week until everything is official." She looked at the yong boy. "Shippou, you will have to stay at the Children's Home until everything is clear. You can stay in the hospital only another day before we have to take you with us."

Both Kagome and Shippou looked dismayed at Kagura's announcement. Kagome looked like she wanted to argue with the older woman.

Kagura held up her hand to ward off Kagome's objections. "It's standard procedure, Kagome. If we get back and push the paperwork, we can finish this by…what day is this?"

"Monday." Kikyo informed her.

"Monday, right. Okay, if we can get the paperwork pushed, we should get everything done in a week tops. Maybe less, if we're lucky. The only snag is convincing the higher ups that a Miko isn't going to use the demon as target practice."

Kagome was outraged. "Who would do something insane like that!" She glared at the red-eyed woman.

"Miko's and demons are traditional enemies. Things haven't always been peaceful between the two; still aren't." Kagura informed her. "But, I honestly believe we'll have no problems once you come in for your prospective parent interview. We'll give you a call when that is." She glanced at her partner and moved towards the door. "Personally, I don't think the kid could be going to a better person." Kagura tossed over her shoulder as she left.

Kikyo looked a Kagome. "That is a noble thing to do, cousin."

Kagome smiled, "What else could I do?" She had sudden idea. "Kikyo, do you think Shippou is okay to go outside for a few hours?" Kikyo looked at her patient, then nodded.

"He should be fine. He needs to stay warm, though. Thanks to his youkai healing, his broken bones mended fine, but he will be sore. There is a slight chance that he could get sick, though, from overexposure. What do you plan on doing?" the doctor asked.

"Well, I'm sure my family would like to meet the newest addition and the Festival of Lights is tonight. I'll have him back here by about 10:30 or 11." Kagome told both Shippou and Kikyo.

Kikyo just nodded again and continued to check her patient. "Shippou, you are well on your way to 100 recovery." She smiled at her cousin and the small kitsune before turning to leave. "Make sure to keep him warm, Kagome."


	5. Ch 5: Festival of Lights

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know the drill.

Author's note: Okay, I was totally not happy with that last chapter. There was no Sesshoumaru! I hope you like thisnext chappy.Enjoy!

"Kagome?" Shippou asked her quietly. He was sitting on her bed as she dug through a box of very old clothes.

"What, Shippou?" Kagome looked at the young boy.

"So does this mean that we're a family?" he stopped, suddenly unsure of himself. He looked at the girl who wanted to adopt him. Her warm blue-gray eyes stared back at him, encouraging him to go on. "Does that mean that…I-I can call you mo-momma?" he asked very quietly, not wanting to make her angry.

Kagome was startled for a moment. _Momma? I'm only 23! But, it feels kinda cool…_ "I would like that. But only do it if you want to." She said quietly. She was unprepared for the orange blur that hit her, knocking her over backward. "Oof!"

"Sorry, momma!" Shippou said happily. He hugged her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. "So, when is the light thing?" He asked, starting to get hyper.

_What did I get myself into_, she thought. Kagome glanced at her watch, 7pm. "Well, the lights turn on when it gets dark, in about half an hour or so. Sango and Miroku are going too, so they said they'd pick us up at about 8:30. You'll like them, they're a funny couple." Kagome told the kitsune boy all about the perverted boy who managed to catch the spirited Sango.

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk in his large home. His golden gaze fell on the clock, 7:30pm. Any minute now he knew Jaken would be coming in to tell him dinner was ready. He was slightly surprised when, instead of the bumbling toad, his young ward came in.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Cook told Rin that dinner is ready and Rin came to get her Sesshoumaru-sama." The little girl babbled happily. She walked over to the stoic youkai-s desk and waited for him to get up. She shifted from foot to foot as she waited for the tall youkai to get up. She looked at him and opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it and looked away.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru said. He wondered what the girl wanted. Although he would never admit it, he adored the little girl. Somehow this small human child had managed to worm her way into his heart. He knew that she knew it too.

"This morning, Sesshoumaru-sama said he would take Rin to the Festival of Lights tonight." Rin looked back up at her hero. "Will Sesshoumaru-sama still take Rin?"

The inu youkai looked the little girl, remembering what he had said. He looked at her and saw that she was practically jumping at the idea of going. _I'm getting soft._ He nodded his silver head and stood up from his desk. "We will go after dinner." He began walking towards the door and almost smiled when the young girl slipped her small hand within his much larger one. He gave no indication that he noticed, but he did not remove his hand. Together they walked to the large dining room.

Minutes later, a green toad stuck his head into Sesshoumaru's office. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" he squeaked. "Where did you go, Lord Sesshoumaru? Why are you not where loyal Jaken can find you? Did you walk to dinner already?" he croaked again, talking to himself as he walked towards the dinging room. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" he yelled upon seeing the tall youkai already seated.

"Jaken is late!" Rin said sternly. The little toady glared at the human girl.

"Be quiet, stupid human. Your annoying voice will hurt Lord Sesshoumaru's sensitive hearing." He made to smack her head with his two-headed staff.

"Jaken." Sesshoumaru said coldly. He looked at his servant, coldness in his eyes. The little toad squeaked, but stopped his swing. He sat down in a huff and began to eat his dinner, continuing to eye the human girl angrily.

Rin ignored the little toad and ate her dinner in a hurry. She was excited about going to the festival. _Maybe Kagome will be there_, she thought. Rin liked the older girl, she was nice to Rin. One of Rin's favorite possessions was the drawing the young nurse had given to her. After eating the last bit of food on her plate, she looked at her guardian. "Can Rin be excused to go get ready to go, Sesshoumaru-sama?" She squirmed in her seat, waiting for her guardian to tell her it was okay. Rin saw his amusement at her squirming and smiled brightly. He nodded his head and was off like a shot. The laughed at Jaken, who looked totally confused. _Poor Jaken, _she thought.

Rin raced up the stairs, to find her coat and get ready for the festival. She began humming off key. She knew the cold youkai was anything but emotionless. She had seen the amusement in his eyes tonight and she had seen other emotions in his eyes before. She loved her father figure with everything she had. She was scared of going out among so many people, but she knew her guardian would keep her safe. She grabbed her coat off her pink bedspread and ran back down the stairs to see Sesshoumaru waiting for her. He opened the door and she scooted out and waited for him to close it, before clutching onto his pants and following him to his black Mercedes. She hopped happily when she realized Jaken was no where to be seen.

"Wow! They're so pretty!" Kagome said as she, Shippou, and Sango stood at the gate to the festival. Miroku had gone to buy tickets.

"So what is this festival thing?" Shippou asked, curious. He looked at his new momma. She was holding him in her arms. She had found a pair of Souta's old pants and cut a hole for his tail. Then he had a green long-sleeved shirt and a thick coat. On his head was a black beanie that Kagome had put on his head as they walked out the door.

"Well, there's a carnival and game booths. Umm….There's also a trail that you can walk on that has arches of lights and lots of cool displays. There are also lots of food booths." Kagome told him, laughing at his excited expression. "What do you want to do first?"

"Oi, wench!" came a familiar gruff voice from behind her.

"Inubaka! My name is Kagome! Ka-go-me!" she said, irritated at her silver-haired cousin.

"Be nice to my momma, dog boy!" came a small, angry voice from Kagome's arms.

Inuyasha did a double take and leaned forward to sniff the bundle in Kagome's arms. He suddenly jumped back when a small paw swatted at him.

"What the hell!" he yelled. Kagome smacked him in the head.

"Watch what you say around Shippou, Inubaka!" She smiled at her hanyou friend. She smiled down at her son. "Shippou, this is Inuyasha. He is Kikyo's bad-tempered, loud-mouthed husband. He's also your new cousin." She looked back up at her friend. "Inuyasha, this is Shippou. I am adopting him." She giggled at his expression.

"Feh." He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. Kikyo walked towards him with Miroku at her side. Inuyasha growled at Miroku to make sure the man's hands didn't touch his wife. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around Kikyo and began steering her through the gates. "Later, wench." He smirked at the outraged Kagome.

Sango laughed as Miroku put his arm around her waist. "Inuyasha will never learn. How does Kikyo put up with him?" she asked the twitching Kagome.

"Kikyo is a saint." Was her reply. Shippou glared off after the hanyou.

"He's a jerk." Shippou said, causing his companions to laugh. "Well, what are we gonna do first, momma?"

Kagome smiled sheepishly and said that she wanted to walk through the lighted trail first. Miroku and Sango said they wanted to hit the game booths and food stalls. Kagome waved to the couple as she and Shippou headed for the Trail of Lights.

"My mom used to bring me and Souta to this every year when we were little. Have you ever been here, Shippou?"

"Nope. I think my parents planned on taking me, but we always got busy doing other stuff." He looked at Kagome. "You don't think they will be angry at me for calling you momma, do you?"

"No, Shippou. I think that they would want you to be happy. I know that I can never replace them, but I will do my best to be a great mom." She kissed the top of his head and looked out at the crowd. She froze when she caught sight of a silver head. _Inuyasha! _She began walking quickly towards the sight of the silver head.

As she got closer to the silver head, she realized that it wasn't her silver-haired friend. This man was much taller and leaner. His hair was definitely longer and silkier. _I wonder if his eyes are molten gold?_ She started at her train of thoughts. _Don't even think about it, girl. Sesshoumaru Takahashi is way out of your league. Besides, the only time you are going to see him is when you have to check in with him. You probably won't even get to talk to him, just his assistant or something._

"Kagome!" a child's voice called out to her, startling her from her thoughts. Kagome looked around and saw a brown-haired child standing in front of her. The little girl stepped closer to her as the crowd moved around them. Kagome knelt down and smiled at the girl.

"Hey, Rin. How are you doing?" Kagome asked the little girl. She noticed Rin was staring at Shippou and that he was staring at her, a little wary. "Rin, this is my son, Shippou. Shippou, this is my friend, Rin." Shippou held out his hand like his father had taught him. Kagome smiled and watched silently as the little girl took his hand shyly.

"Rin is happy to meet Shippou." She said brightly. She lost her grin when a man stepped too close to her. Rin scooted to Kagome's side and clung to her.

"Rin, where is your guardian?" Kagome stood up, hoisting the girl up with her arm. _I am going to be sore tomorrow, _she thought, shifting the weight in her arms. She again caught sight of the tall silver-haired man and began to make her way towards him.

Sesshoumaru was standing in the middle of the trail, discreetly sniffing the air. He had somehow managed to lose the little girl that had been hanging on to him. He was getting frustrated because he could not pick her scent from among the hundreds of other scents that hung in the air. He was slightly worried; he knew the little girl would be frightened among this many strangers. His senses were suddenly overwhelmed by the scent of jasmine. He turned and saw the young nurse who had taken care of Rin. She was also the one he had hired to draw for him. He relaxed when he saw that she was holding onto Rin, who seemed okay.

"Takahashi-san. I believe I have something that belongs to you." The girl said brightly. She inclined her head towards Rin, who for once ignored his presence completely.

Sesshoumaru raised a silver brow when he saw that his young ward was conversing with another child in the girl's arms. _Why is she carrying around a kitsune kit?_ He thought. "Rin." Sesshoumaru was not happy at being ignored for the first time since Rin had come to live with him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" the little girl squealed and held her arms out to him. She laughed as he arched a sliver brow again. She sat there with her arms outstretched until he came to get her.

The scent of jasmine got stronger when Sesshoumaru stepped closer to the girl holding Rin. He awkwardly reached for the little girl, who wanted to be held. As he reached for Rin, his hands brushed the hand of the young nurse.

Time stopped again for the both of them. Sesshoumaru didn't hear any voices this time; he just felt a warm, peaceful feeling wash over him. He felt himself realizing eve more and found himself staring into endless blue-gray pools. Sesshoumaru, uncomfortable with the unknown feelings, fought for control within his mind. He stopped touching her and grabbed Rin. He was unsure of how to hold the child and moved to put her down.

Kagome blinked and shook her head, not seeing the speculative glances Rin and Shippou were giving her and Sesshoumaru. She saw that Sesshoumaru was about to put Rin down. "If you put her on you hip, kind of like how I'm holding him, it's not so bad. You don't want her to get lost again, do you?" she told the taiyoukai. She smiled when the youkai balanced the child on his hip. She looked at him and realized that he seemed slightly disconcerted about holding the child. _He's beautiful._

She blushed when he caught her staring at him. "Takahashi-san, this is my son, Shippou." She blushed again when he gave her a speculative glance.

Sesshoumaru was surprised when she introduced the demon child as her son. He took a discreet sniff. _She's full human and Miko. There's no way this is her child._

"He was brought into the hospital a day ago. I decided to adopt him. Shippou-chan, this is Takahashi-san. He is Rin's guardian." The little kitsune just looked at the tall inu youkai. He felt Kagome poke him.

"Nice to meet you, Takahashi-san." He said quietly.

"Sesshoumaru-sama. Can Shippou-chan and Gome-chan walk with us?" Rin smiled hopefully up at her guardian. At the quirk of a brow, she happily turned to Kagome. "Sesshoumaru-sama says he would be happy if you joined him and Rin in the Festival." She said proudly.

Kagome laughed at the look of shock in Sesshoumaru's golden eyes and how his eyebrow seemed to disappear into his hairline. "We'd love to." She smiled and stepped next to the tall man. _I barely come up to his shoulder!_ She laughed to herself and hugged her kit closer. "Let's go." She started walking and only grinned as the tall man fell into step next to her.

The pair walked in silence, with the exception of the two children, who chattered like birds over the displays.

"Momma, look! Look at that one!" Shippou said, pointing towards a display of Santa's Workshop. He giggled at the elves and poked Rin to get her attention. "Look, Rin-chan!" he said excitedly. He looked up at Kagome. "I'm getting thirsty."

"Rin is getting thirsty too." The little girl said from her place in Sesshoumaru's arms.

Kagome looked up at the tall demon standing next to her. "There should be a little booth coming up that sells hot chocolate, and stuff. Should we stop there?" she asked politely. At his slight nod, she smiled and began walking again. Even though her companion was silent, Kagome was having fun. It was a comfortable silence and she was strangely content to walk in silence with the gorgeous man next to her. She sighed wistfully. _Don't even dare to dream, Kagome. This guy is definitely untouchable. I can wish, though._ She felt him stop and she realized that they were at the booth she had mentioned.

"Rin and Shippou want hot chocolate." The little girl said happily. She turned to Kagome. "What does Gome-chan want?"

"Umm…I'll have apple cider." Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru. "I'll take Rin so you can go and get her hot chocolate." She held out her arm to receive the little girl. Sesshoumaru handed over the little girl, being careful not to touch the young woman. She smiled softly at him and he stared into her eyes before turning and heading to the counter.

Kagome shook her raven-haired head. "What is it about that guy?" she asked herself quietly. She looked around for someplace to sit and found a table nearby. She sat both kids down on the top and then plopped down next to them.

"Higurashi!" came a male voice from the crowd behind her.

Kagome briefly shut her eyes, before turning around and flashing a smile at the young man standing on the other side of the table. "Hi, Hojo. How are you?" She was silently praying that he would go away. He had pursued her all through high school and into college. She was thankful that their different majors had enabled her to avoid him.

"Are you babysitting, Kagome?" he asked, indicating the two children looking warily at him.

"Kind of. I'm watching over Rin, but Shippou is mine." She said, inwardly smirking at his look of shock. She was saved from explaining by the sudden arrival of Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru glared at the boy in front of him. He had seen him as he was paying for the drinks. Some unidentified emotion had coursed through him at seeing the male around the young woman. He waited impatiently for his tray to be filled and then stalked his way over to the table. He glared at the intruder and fought the smirk that threatened to appear when he saw the boy gulp several times.

Hojo tore his gaze from the tall, menacing man and looked at Kagome. "I better get going. I'll give you a call sometime, Kagome." He took one of her hands briefly. With one last look at the silver-haired man behind his secret love, he disappeared into the crowd.

Kagome sighed with relief. She turned around to look at Sesshoumaru. "Thank you, Takahashi-san." She noticed that he wasn't paying attention and that he held a small tray with four drinks. _How nice,_ she exclaimed in her head. She reached out and touched his hand. She again felt the warm feelings of peace and contentment wash over her. Without realizing it, she had turned her head up to stare into his golden eyes. She smiled warmly. Suddenly, he moved his hand and Kagome felt the warm feeling retreat to the back of her mind. "Thank-you for the drink, Takahashi-san." She bowed slightly.

Kagome handed out the drinks and listen to the kids exclaim over the temperature of the drink. She glanced at her watch. "Shippou, we have to be going soon."

"But, momma, we didn't get to see everything. We didn't go to the carnival or get food or play any games." He pouted. Kagome laughed and ruffled his hair, unaware that Rin and Sesshoumaru were watching her.

"Sorry, sweetie. Maybe we can come back. I told Kikyo that I would have you back by 11pm. It's almost 11. You're gonna be late as it is. I'm surprised you're still awake."

"I can stay up real late." He stated, puffing out his chest. He ruined his little display of manhood by yawning. Kagome stood up and hoisted him up into his arms. She placed a kiss on the top of his head. She turned to Sesshoumaru, who was standing as well.

"Look, honey, aren't they a beautiful family?" an elderly lady told her husband as they walked by Kagome and Sesshoumaru.

Kagome blushed and dropped her eyes from Sesshoumaru's. _Silly Kagome. Don't even dream._ "Takahashi-san, it has been fun." She smiled and turned towards Rin. She stepped closer to the girl who was now being held again in Sesshoumaru's arms. She placed a kiss on the girl's temple and stepped away again. "Goodbye. Rin-chan." She began to walk away.

Kagome stopped and turned back towards the youkai, only to find that he was very close behind her. She backed up a step so she could look into his eyes. She cleared her throat. "Takahashi-san, I was wondering if I could bring Rin back with me and Shippou tomorrow night?" Kagome smiled as the little girl bounced in her guardian's arms and gave her stoic guardian puppy eyes.

Sesshoumaru resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes and sigh. Not only was Rin looking at him with ridiculously large eyes, but the beautiful woman with him was smiling hopefully at him too. _What, beautiful? What am I thinking? I need to get away from her._ He again resisted the urge to sigh again and gave a slight nod of his head.

"Great, I'll give your office a call tomorrow and we can work out the details." Kagome said happily. With a small wave and a bounce in her step, she disappeared into the crowd, intent on finding her friends.

Sesshoumaru watched her walk away for a moment and then headed out in the opposite direction.


End file.
